Magic Trick
by IKnowAlma
Summary: Sequel to Electric Shock. Due to constant threat, Darcy Lewis and Jane Foster are forced to seek refuge on Asgard. But can the city of the gods handle the combination team of Darcy and Loki? TaserTrick. Somewhat AU and OOC.
1. Chapter 1 - On Purpose

Magic Trick

Chapter 1 – On Purpose

Darcy Lewis found herself thinking about several things a lot over the last few months. One was how she really should just resign as Jane Foster's assistant. She had picked up on a lot of the scientist stuff over the years despite her major not being in the same area but she had met, at social events similar to the one she was at now, many people who would have been much more helpful. Another thing was how she should change majors although she doubted any university on the planet had a class that specialized in Asgardian culture, history and politics. The closest thing that would come to that would be Norse mythology and Darcy had a certain doubt that some of the stories were true if not exaggerated. Even so, she had still spent a good portion of time trying to figure out how to bring up the question of "so, did you really change yourself into a mare and give birth to a horse" in conversation with Loki.

That was another thing she had been mulling over. Loki, Odin's son, ex-villain and rehabilitated madman, the last one debatable according to most people Darcy spoke to. Three months ago she had ditched a social gathering to spend the night with the Norse god. She had spent a good deal of time trying to forget that night but knew she should have damn well expected it. A god of mischief would have to retire his title if he would pass up such a brilliant chance to throw a girl's brain into chaos. Her snarky side wanted to say congratulations and she was definitely getting him back for that next time she got the chance.

"Huh?" she spoke up when she realised Jane and the old man she had been talking to were staring at her. Obviously they had opted to ask for her input in spite of her obvious lack of knowledge on whatever their current conversation had been. Her clueless expression earned a frown from Foster who apologised to the man before excusing the women from the small circle of conversation, taking her a little away from the crowds that consisted mostly of science types.

"Darcy, this is a very important function for me. We're staying here and I need you to focus." Jane scolded regretting having brought her young friend. Erik would have been a much better choice as her plus one. The younger woman knew Jane probably would have taken him too if it wasn't for the fact he was halfway around the world helping Banner with something.

"Yeah, well if I'm going to stay here any longer I'm going to need tequila or for something to randomly change into ice-cream. That will alert me to the fact Loki and Thor can now make house calls and I can actually have a good time again." Darcy commented believing that if one more scientist stared at her when she asked what "quantam-whatsy-whos-it" meant she just might spill her drink on them. Jane rolled her eyes and gave her the same look she'd been receiving for the past three months whenever she complained about the lack of Asgardian visits. Darcy just shot a look back that clearly stated "you can't talk". Jane had a career dedicated to creating a Bifrost on Earth or even just going to Asgard through the Tesseract and learning the portal science stuff from them.

"What happened between you and Loki that night?" Jane inquired after a quiet moment causing Darcy to blush in alarm. She had told no one of course and the hidden agents weren't exactly inclined to gossip. Hell, the only reason Jane knew Loki had been there was mention from a drunk Tony Stark to her about her intern sneaking out the back with a man considered evil.

"He left me with a great many questions." Darcy huffed deciding to tell the truth in a way that also avoided it. In fact it pretty much summed up why she had been so distracted and full of want. It wasn't the result of shyness, the woman was far too confident in herself for such things. She may be considered ignorant on a lot of subjects but knowing where she stood wasn't one of them. That was what frustrated her. Relationships involved someone else's standing and well, Loki wasn't exactly the most stable of guys. It was even harder to get a read on him when he lived light-years away. So in short, yes. She did want to punch him.

All in one instant she was thrown from her revenge on the god of mischief plotting however. An explosion of sound caused everyone in the room to duck and scream, Jane and Darcy quickly hiding behind one of the tables for the provided food. Cautiously they both peeked over the surface to watch as the smoke cleared and amongst the rubble stood several men and women in a strange costume.

"You will bring Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis before us." The obvious leader called out in a scratchy voice. He had a scar running across the left side of his face that only added to the aggressive look he gave. "If you do not hand over the false god's chosen ones we will begin killing you." He added after a moment, nodding to one of his comrades who quickly shot an old man to prove their point. Everyone screamed in horror. Before Jane and Darcy could act however, S.H.I.E.L.D agents came crashing through. Darcy had no idea how they'd gotten wind of the danger so quickly but she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. They moved like clockwork, hindering the obvious cultists and escorting the civilians out at the same time. It wasn't entirely smooth as the enemies fought back and suddenly the girls had to run from a gun fight.

It was times like these Darcy really missed having Smurf around but that didn't stop her from pulling her old school taser out of her purse glad she always felt an urge to keep it nearby. She was thankful it wasn't a ball gowns type gathering and more a cocktail party as her and Jane stuck to the walls, ducking out one of the side doors. It would have been much harder to move around in a long dress.

The cultists and the S.H.I.E.L.D agents were already everywhere forcing the women to keep low. They made it out another side door that led to outside where the silence was unsettling in contrast with the chaos from inside. This was only more disconcerting when they heard hushed voices bickering on the other side of an artistic fancy wall that separated them from open lawns.

"Okay. I think there are only two of them. On three I'll jump out and tase the first one and I'll need you to do that move I taught you the other day." Darcy commanded having been teaching Jane some of the martial arts she had learnt after considering the danger they had both been in over the years. It had become her personal opinion that they needed to better protect themselves since they had a knack for facing off against the enemies of superheros. Darcy felt oddly accomplished yet concerned when she realised not only was she taking charge but she was much calmer in the situation than Jane who was obviously near freaking out. She had really grown as a person and she was proud of that. She wouldn't always have to be Jane's little sister like assistant She couldn't help but humour herself with the thought that if her boss had something science to focus on she'd probably completely forget about the fact she was in danger and be calm as well.

They both took a deep breath, the women focusing on each other as Darcy counted to three. They jumped out in sync, the younger woman firing quicker than her eyes caught on. She watched in silent surprise, frustration and slight humour as Thor fell down, taking the shock of her taser for the second time in his life. He groaned on the ground, obviously having his powers back and Mjolnir in his hand helping him be a little less affected by the electricity but still enough to think Darcy needed to have that weapon taken off her to stop these instances from happening.

"God damn it! You guys do this on purpose." Darcy accused as Jane ran over to check on Thor as he sat up. Loki was standing just behind his brother and once the astonishment had left his face it had taken an expression of brotherly amusement as he grinned at the situation.

"Are you sure that's not how you greet men?" he asked in a teasing tone. Thor and Jane shot him irritated looks for jesting while Darcy raised her eyebrows.

"Do you want me to shoot you again?" she offered and with an easy smile still on his face, he held up his hands in submission. The intern apologised to the god of thunder as Jane helped him up, receiving an understanding nod in reply.

"My brother and I were…dropping in for a visit. We'd only just arrived when we heard gunfire and screams." Thor began explaining, glancing to Loki who finally took on a serious expression.

"We were trying to decide if Thor's break in and smash everyone that isn't a friend method was preferable to, sneak in and assess." He expanded, standing with his hands behind his back almost like a soldier reporting for duty. It was off put by the look he shot Thor which suggested their discussion over tactics was more of an argument. Darcy dropped considering this when she spotted a very familiar old friend run out from the darkness passed Loki and over to her.

"Smurf!" she called out cheerfully, dropping to her knees to pet the large dog sized, metal creature. There was no using him as a wrist guard anymore. His ten legs were pretty much an arm each themselves and the head with its single jewel eye was closer to the size of a short bow instead of mimicking a crossbow. Darcy glanced mischievously to Loki as she scratched the metal creature which chirped happily. "I see dropping in means sneaking out the window." She teased. She was hoping for a blush but Loki seemed to have prepared himself for such jibes. The smile he responded with was decidedly smug. Darcy didn't like it.

"We can catch up later. I think the agents might need your help cleaning house." Jane cut in, the look she gave Darcy clearly stating she was picking up on the heavy undertones of her exchange with Loki. Thor was also eyeing his brother with curiosity.

"Right. Well the situation involves crazy cultists and fighting everywhere." Darcy began explaining. The brother's listened as her and Jane retold what had unfolded and what little they knew. Needless to say the Norse gods seemed a little off put if not the tiniest bit angry that someone was out to get the women because of their association with "false gods".

"I think we'll just have to show them how "false" we are." Thor muttered in irritation as he and Loki prepared to go inside. As the two men ducked into the building, Darcy and Jane stepped further back into the shadows, Smurf staying with them like a guard dog, an oddly comforting feeling in the back of the younger woman's mind accompanied by the chime of a bell that was no doubt connected to the creature.

"Loki kissed you didn't he?" Jane commented the minute the brother's were gone. Darcy's surprise as she shouted a loud "what" caused an instinctual and instant denial that trailed to useless mumbles when her boss raised an eyebrow at her. It was kind of irritating to be honest. Jane was meant to be unobservant of such things. Unfortunately for Darcy, this time she wasn't. That or Loki must have stuck a "yes, I went there" sign on her back while she wasn't looking. Either way she was forced to have an awkward conversation about what had been bothering her. Loki was definitely going to pay for it later.

He actually found it somewhat refreshing when after all the cultists had been dealt with, that he had not been treated with hostility. He wasn't thanked like his brother but he wasn't immediately cuffed and taken into S.H.I.E.L.D custody either. He glanced to Thor uncertainly however when he saw one person who might ruin the good start to his visit to Midgard.

"Thank you for your assistance." The attractive woman offered, nodding to Thor. The look she shot Loki could have frozen the sun. Part of him admitted that he deserved it. Natasha Romanoff had every reason to mistrust and dislike him. Then again the other half of him was saying she couldn't talk. The fact that her ledger was red wasn't a lie.

"It is no problem. But I fear I must ask. Who are these people? Why do they have hatred for Asgardians and why were they after Jane and Darcy for knowing us?" Thor responded getting to the point as quick as possible. Loki understood his insistence. It was concerning. Loki observed the Black Widow closely knowing she was even better at manipulation than he was. She took a deep breath displaying that she was concerned by what she was about to say.

"We don't know." She answered. Loki's eyes twitched in suspicion but after a moment he concluded that if she was lying it wouldn't come to harm them. "Directory Fury already has people looking into it but I'm pretty sure you're aware that takes time." She continued, glancing to the two girls that were walking into the building from their hiding spot outside. They looked around curiously before bee lining for the two familiar men.

"And during that time Jane and Darcy are at risk of further attacks." Thor concluded, knowing where Natasha was going with the conversation. The girls looked up at mention of their names, eyes wide with concern.

"We can have them placed under protective custody." Natasha offered as Loki once again, eyed her. She was fishing for a suggestion though for what purpose he didn't know. He glanced to the other two women, Darcy obviously seconds away from protesting. He knew her well enough to know she wouldn't like being stuck somewhere "safe" until everything was sorted which could take anywhere from days to months.

"There is the possibility of bringing them to Asgard." Loki proposed earning everyone's gaze and the stunned silence of his human friend. He glanced to his brother who while eager to bring Jane to their golden city, knew just as well as Loki that it wasn't up to them. "They would be in no danger there and have more freedom than one location can offer." He continued, ignoring mention of the difficulties of setting such a plan in motion. His brother wasn't going to let that pass however.

"Our father has not given permission for this brother. I don't know his reasons but I know him well enough to understand that he will be difficult to persuade." Thor spoke up. Loki nodded solemnly to indicate he knew this.

"It won't be easy but I think I can convince father that it is necessary." He offered already dreading the task but true in his conviction to do such a thing. Natasha eyed him for a moment with a mixture of mistrust and respect before curtly nodding her head and leaving the group to themselves.

Darcy narrowed her eyes at Loki, wondering if he was playing at something. Unlike him she hadn't picked up on the silent hints from Romanoff. She crossed her arms, feeling she needed to be on guard. It didn't help her relax any that the entire time since the brothers had arrived, Loki had remained rigid, standing like some soldier. She was starting to wonder if he was doing it deliberately.

"This isn't going to be fun." Thor muttered with a sigh only to smile when Jane came over and embraced him. He glanced to his brother with a level of uncertainty, obviously wondering if his silver tongue would work.

"It won't be so bad…once the hard part is over." Loki reassured as he glanced up already trying to plan what to say in his head. Odin wasn't easy to manipulate and it didn't help that their relationship was still awkward and unnatural at times. While Loki was doing much better in the redemption apartment and had gotten a good deal of his lighter side back there was still an air about his interactions that spoke of how no one had really forgotten what he had done. That was one of the reasons he was so glad to see Darcy. She was the only person who seemed to have completely disregarded his past whether that was actual effort on her part or just her ignorant nature. It didn't matter really. He just looked forward to spending time with her. The sneaky part of him also looked forward to playing with her. He had chosen to be deliberately formal, not letting the slightest of hints get through. It was in his nature after all to be roguish. He also couldn't deny that he found Darcy's frustration cute.

"We're also going to have to explain how we got here." Thor spoke up, interrupting Loki's thoughts. He frowned at that one. That meant no more random visits to Midgard. He had been glad that Heimdall had told no one of what he had surely observed. Like Thor had pointed out, Odin would have reasons for why he kept his sons from visiting the planet freely. He wouldn't be happy that his sons had snuck onto it.

"We should head back pretty soon then." Loki remarked glancing to Thor who smiled warmly at Jane, embracing her one last time before the brothers offered quick goodbyes, Smurf transporting them back to Asgard. Darcy stared at the spot where the faint blue mist was wisping away.

"You know…I know it's horrible for another cult to spring up and for our lives to be in danger and all." Darcy began, moving her gaze slowly to Jane who was also barely containing a grin. The excitement in her intern's voice didn't help her keep her calm façade. "But we're about to go to Asgard." Darcy finished, turning the last word into an energized squeal and giggle as her and Jane grabbed a hold of each other, shouting in their eagerness to travel to the place they had heard so much about.

"Oh, god. We need to go home and pack." Jane pointed out, Darcy knowing the thoughtful look crossing her face not being one of what outfits to pack but what equipment she could fit into a suitcase. She rolled her eyes, leading her boss who followed almost absently as they made their way toward the hotel they had been staying at. One red haired woman followed them from the shadows just in case, reporting to the director that the operation was running smoothly.

((A/N: Hey everyone. Finally back with the sequel. Thank you all so much for the reviews for the last one. I'm sticking to my short story pattern so don't expect a great deal of length but hopefully this one will satisfy the requests for romance. ;) As usual, constructive criticism is cherished.))


	2. Chapter 2 - Misinterpretation

Chapter 2 – Misinterpretation

Thor had to hand it to Loki, he had a talent. Now that wasn't to say he hadn't always known about his brother's skill, he was famous for it but it was something else to sit in the throne room and watch as the god of mischief worked his silver tongue. It had been a rough ride, Odin not particularly pleased when they admitted to "sneaking out" though like Loki, Thor had observed that their father had a certain knowledgeable look to his eye when they had entered the room. He had been well aware of what they had been doing but that gave them hope. If he had chosen not to intervene then obviously a part of him agreed with their plan. Loki had spent the next excruciatingly slow hours using wit and charisma to talk Odin into permitting the Midgardians refuge in their home. It was a constant battle of words and while Odin displayed no rage at the request he did give some resistance. Loki was working past that obstacle with his skill with words. It was a magic in itself. Hope shone through when Odin displayed a rare tired but genuine smile.

"I suppose I will have no rest from either of you until I agree?" he queried in uncommon jest. This stunned Loki to silence who glanced back to his brother almost uncertainly. "You will have to accompany them everywhere. Long has passed the time in which we spent our days with Midgardians and never did we bring them back." Odin continued and his face returned to its commanding gaze. The brothers almost hesitated in their agreement, so surprised they were with the sudden change.

Thor was tasked with retrieving the girls, using the Tesseract to transport to Midgard as all of Asgard began preparing for their arrival. In the past the idea of welcoming Midgardians to their great city would be unheard of but now it was cause for celebration. After all, one of those humans was the known lover of their future king. It would be an interesting day that was for sure. Thor found Jane and Darcy in their hotel rooms, the woman he loved being chided by her assistant for trying to fit a strange machine in her suitcase far too big for it and leaving no room for clothes.

"Hey Thor. Do you want to talk some sense into her?" Darcy inquired when she spotted the muscular man. They laughed at the science geek who shot them both glares. It took quite a while to convince her to just take things she needed and that this didn't include any of her equipment.

The younger woman couldn't deny her nerves as she stood next to her boss and the god of thunder. Soon she would be standing in the golden city, meeting many more Asgardians and completely capable of sating her curiosity for the foreign culture. If there was ever a reason to be grateful she had applied for the job with Jane it was this. She was thankful that she had been rejected by so many places, eventually being taken in for being the only applicant. If one wanted to believe in fate, she would have to thank it repeatedly for the experiences the job had given, far beyond anything anyone else would have gotten. She had well and truly lucked out. Yes, it had been dangerous and at times she had been terrified but ever minute of fear was worth the hours of wonder and the pleasure of the people she had met.

"Ready?" Thor asked, holding the contraption with the Tesseract out to the women. They exchanged nervous and excited glances before making their own grip on the device. Then the ground was pulled away from Darcy's feet as lights flashed around her eyes.

The sensation was weird. She had that feeling of momentum in her stomach like being on a rollercoaster mixed with a strange charge almost like her body was made of static. And there was the warmth, inexplicable warmth that she could only associate with life. Then before she had a chance to truly analyse what was happening solid ground hit her feet and she near stumbled. Suddenly she was standing in a very alien world. Everything shone regally and she could understand why Asgardians would be considered gods. Looking around to the welcoming crowd, she noted how easy it was to feel inferior. Like the brothers they all stood tall, not above human height but in the higher ranges. Their flowing clothing was regal and lacking vibrant colour. They held themselves in such a way that suggested superiority.

"Welcome Lady Jane Foster and Lady Darcy Lewis to Asgard." A strong woman beckoned, Thor striding over to her and dropping to his knee in salute. Darcy quickly decided that she and the old yet commanding man next to her would have to be the brothers' parents. She quickly exchanged a glance to Jane before they both followed Thor, awkwardly curtsying and almost bowing themselves when they couldn't decide which was proper.

"Thank you for…having us." Jane offered in a voice rather meek compared to her usual excitement although Darcy's strong friendship with the woman helped her detect the lidded eagerness to ask questions about what they had just experienced. It was formal for a while longer before the crowd was disbanded leaving the royals and four people Darcy recognised from her first meeting with Thor despite the years. As she watched the bevy disperse she also noted that Loki had been hidden far at the back, sticking to the shadows with Smurf. His presence seemed to be deliberately ignored by those passing him and a sudden wave of hostility washed over the young woman.

"It is good to see you again." Sif offered to Jane and in turn Darcy who returned her focus on the group in front of her. The warriors three made their own greetings, Thor introducing his parents before Odin spoke up.

"Sif will escort you to your rooms. You are free to be taken around most of Asgard though do not be surprised if guards forbid you from certain areas." He began his voice so imposing and powerful that Darcy instantly admired him. No wonder Loki had been so distraught when he had disappointed the older man who's very presence demanded respect. "I hear Lady Jane, that you have an interest in our methods of travel. No doubt you would like to converse with some that have an understanding of it." He continued looking at Jane warmly. Darcy noticed the same fondness on Frigga's face and quickly decided it was a mixture of appreciation for the part Jane had played in enlightening Thor and for the understanding that technically she was a daughter-in-law. Such thoughts made her glance to Loki again who was still hanging back looking apprehensively at Sif and the warriors three. Obviously they had not reconciled.

The old couple excused themselves while Jane tried to hold her excitement over not even having to ask about learning more, her dreams being handed to her on a silver platter. Soon Sif had taken them to two extravagant rooms that made Darcy feel like a billionaire. She spent a few minutes shouting "no way" as she explored every nook and cranny of a room that could home several people but was all hers. She'd won the lottery or she'd hit her head at some point and was having some sort of weird but awesome dream.

"You should see the coliseum." Thor began when they regrouped, obviously eager to show Jane all his favourite places. He began listing some, his friends smiling warmly around them as Darcy once again sought out the one person she wanted to be in on the group. It took a while but she spotted him. He seemed like an awkward stalker, glancing down when her gaze fell upon him and feigning interest in the curious chirps of Smurf. Darcy pursed her lips, taking a deep breath before speaking up; interrupting what was probably a humorous tale about the Asgardian's adventures.

"If it's okay I'm going to go join Loki." She informed them earning disapproving looks from everyone but Thor and Jane. She had a feeling they were going to whisper to Thor that it was a bad idea to let her spend time with the god of mischief and had a strong urge to tell them off. Instead she smiled at Jane who was giving her a knowing look, and turned around, heading over to Loki.

He hated it to be honest. Asgard was every bit his home and yet he was like some outcast hanging to the back of the crowd. By all rights he should have been there with his adoptive parents, welcoming the two women to the golden city. Instead he was hiding in the shadows and hoping not to be noticed. Even now, he followed a safe distance behind a group he should be part of trying to avoid the looks Lady Sif shot him. It was infuriatingly painful and the dark part of him wanted to knock them all aside and demand they revere him. It only hurt more that Darcy would glance his way every now and then making him feel oddly ashamed. He didn't want her seeing this weakness. But at least that was better than her seeing his rage first hand. The treatment of Thor's friends and most important Sif, had caused a fair share of moments when he had almost fallen to the darkness in him. And why not? If only he could command respect once more and power, power enough that he could wipe the Asgardian woman from existence. It was thoughts like this however that turned him meek when the lighter half of him worried that one day he might prove them all right and be forced back into a cage for the safety of others.

"Excuse me my good sir. Would you happen to be a tour guide?" Darcy joked with a small smile to her face. Loki straightened, losing the kicked look and replacing it with a regal air. It was instinctual and also a certain level of aggravating considering she was the one person he could relax around and now he felt forced to display his superiority. His amusement to her jest was half forced and the smallness of her smile let him know she was aware of this.

"I suppose I could show you to the places my brother doesn't think of." He replied before forcing good nature and holding out his arm. She curtsied before looping her arm through his with a much more sincere smile on her full lips.

It took a while but after a time he began to relax again although he could not lose his royal air. He was dressed in his full garb, minus the helmet which Thor and himself had opted not to wear after they had spent a good deal of time teasing each other with names. When the brotherly banter had died down they'd both realized that Jane and especially the teasing Darcy would have a field day if she saw them wearing the helms that were for ceremony. As a result of wearing his golden armour, he felt on display and like he had to prove that he still was a son of Odin even though most of Asgard considered him a monster. But his presentation slowly became a thought in the back of his mind as he spent time with the young woman who's easy humour and friendly nature forced him to relax. At first she talked about Smurf and as requested, he told her that Asgardian scholars had confirmed that he had origins with the Tesseract which had led to a discovery that made it all the more important that Smurf had been taken to Asgard. The glowing pleasure in his eyes when he battled with Darcy came from the sating of a strange hunger for the adrenaline of combat but he held an insurmountable amount of power. Like the Tesseract, inside of the weapon-creature hybrid was a self-sustaining energy source. It had amazed Darcy who stared in wonder at the creature who seemed to sing a note in the back of her head cheerfully at being around the one who had awoken it. But her thoughts were not just for Smurf. She was full of questions and never more was it clear to Loki that she was completely fascinated by their culture. She would observe people going about their lives, asking about games children played in the street. At one point she even joined in with a group of children playing a game that was to train their reflexes for battle when they were older.

They had gone to flee upon spying Loki, fearing him as they had been taught to. But Darcy's easy nature and strange clothes caught their curiosity and she fit easily into the group. It astounded the younger son of Odin but it was something he admired in her. When she finally separated from the children and returned to his side he was looking at her in wonder, Smurf chirping excitedly as he looked out from behind Loki's green cape at the laughing children that retreated to their homes upon their mothers' calls.

"Is there anywhere in particular you'd like to see? I'm afraid tours finish soon but I might be able to fit in two more places before night sets in." Loki queried changing his marvel to an easy smile. A thoughtful look crossed the woman's face before her eyes widened in excitement.

"The rainbow bridge!" Darcy shouted, completely ignorant of the fact this might not be a comfortable area for Loki. He grimaced slightly before agreeing, leading her to the place where Heimdall still stood watch. He did not turn to them though Loki believed he was still observing more than what his endless gaze looked out upon. "Oh my god, this is so cool!" Darcy declared, watching her feet. The way the light pulsed was almost hypnotic. It was sturdy yet so fragile at the same time, almost like glass as she stared curiously where it had fractured. She awkwardly glanced to the tall imposing man who stood watch there, his golden gaze far away. Her discomfort lasted long enough for her to disregard any notion of polite conduct. "Are you a leprechaun or did you just steal his pot of gold and turn it into armour?" Darcy inquired in good humour making it quite apparent she would have spent a good deal of time teasing Thor and Loki for their helmets had they worn them. She could almost hear the crickets chirping when she lacked a response, seemingly being ignored. She glanced to Loki who kept back, whether from the man or the edge she was uncertain but it finally clicked that perhaps this wasn't the best place to ask Loki to come to.

"Is there anywhere you'd like to take me?" she inquired, walking back toward him. This seemed to break him from the reverie he'd been in as he looked to Darcy with wide eyes. A thoughtful expression crossed his face before he smiled warmly.

"I can think of one place." He commented, offering his arm once more. They both looked back to Smurf, intending to call him with them but the creature seemed to focus on Heimdall, intrigued in a way before it too looked out into what Darcy dubbed The Abyss. They decided it was best to leave him there, Loki commenting that he sometimes liked to go off on his own and that since the creature had caused no harm, it had been permitted.

The place Loki took Darcy to was in one of the higher areas of Asgard and it was an area that brought up her curiosity. It was the grounds where the horses roamed, left to live in comfort when not being ridden into battle. He smiled warmly to her as he went to a specific spot, a location where they could watch the other horses from and where one eight legged solitary horse stood, grazing quietly, eyeing the pair as they approached. When Loki moved closer it made a soft nicker, extending its head to nuzzle at his eagerly extended hand. Darcy couldn't stop her eyes from going wide as she recalled the Norse legends she'd read up on since meeting Thor.

"I would like you to meet Sleipnir." He introduced with fondness to his voice that wasn't helping Darcy any. She laughed nervously, holding out a somewhat hesitant hand for the eight legged horse to smell. Loki frowned at her obviously unsure where her awkwardness was coming from.

"What is it?" he inquired after a moment, his voice soft and near silent. Despite her efforts, Darcy still giggled in the most uncomfortable way imaginable before deciding to hell with it. If she didn't ask she was just going to go insane over the Norse myth that Loki had birthed Sleipnir.

"Okay, I'm just gonna ask." She began her face turning the most brilliant shade of red as realization dawned on Loki's face, his mouth hanging open slightly as he looked to the side. She had obviously been looking up the human's records of Asgard which were somewhat inaccurate.

"No, I didn't give birth to him nor am I the father of a wolf or a snake." He explained taking his formal stance with his arms behind his back as his voice took on a level of irritation. Not at Darcy but at the mistakes of humans past. "That was actually a misinterpretation. I was at a celebration on an outpost on Earth when a woman I was not fond of…pursued me in her intoxication. I used magic to swap my place with a horse I created and, well Sleipnir was born. Of course since I made myself scarce after replacing myself with the horse it soon became legend that the mare was me." He continued with a lack of amusement to his face. Darcy however lost her uneasy curiosity for stupefied humour.

"That's hilarious!" she declared with a laugh, doubling over. The look Loki shot her clearly stated he wasn't as amused. His jaw clenched in irritation as he suddenly regretted taking her to meet the equine. While it was one of his favourite places for the lack of judgement animals gave him it had also been turned into a perfect opportunity to be teased.

"So it would seem." He said in a low tone as he glanced out to the darkening sky, waiting for his companion to return to breathing. She grinned at him when she straightened, stroking Sleipnir's muzzle and trying not to look at him with an amused twinkle in her eye.

"I suppose we should head back now." She commented thinking her stay in Asgard had gotten off to a good start. She was learning heaps and having a blast. She had also learnt a wonderfully embarrassing secret or more a story about her would be lover. There was something about the silence and the beauty of the area they were in that reminded her that she had not spent the day with someone who was just a friend. While they had not broached the kiss he'd left her with there was still the fact it had happened and that their relationship was walking a very fine line. She wondered if perhaps he was waiting for her to make a pass at him since he had not made one to her since her visit had begun.

"Yes. I believe mother organised a feast for your first night. I think she's also planning a night of celebration a few days from now." Loki replied after a moment of silent thought before walking beside Darcy, leading the way back to the series of rooms that they lived within.

"Foreign food huh? Here's the deal. If I really shouldn't try something you blink twice." She planned, taking on a tone of seriousness even though she was obviously joking.

"You do realise I'm the god of mischief right? I'll encourage everything you really shouldn't try and discourage the good stuff." Loki replied, jesting back. They laughed easily, keeping up the game until they were close to the dining hall. Everyone else was already inside, Thor and Volstagg obviously impatient for Darcy's return. She was about to step in when she noticed Loki hanging back as if unsure if he should enter. Her lips pursed, eyes silently telling him it was okay.

"I think I might just eat in my rooms." He offered after a moment, about to duck back and leave only to have Darcy grab his hand, tightly squeezing it.

"Nonsense. How are you going to trick me into eating yucky stuff?" she said almost childishly before dragging Loki into the room whether he liked it or not. In honesty his hesitation was more an avoidance of causing confrontation. It was almost inevitable when his characteristic narcissism clashed with people who despised him. As all eyes turned to them he seemed to shrink as if a bowed posture would make him disappear. After a few seconds however he stood tall growing irritated and arrogant, defying the uneasiness of being around others who he was certain mistrusted him. Darcy didn't seem to have the slightest concern for the looks Loki received from those that weren't family or Jane. Instead she smiled confidently.

"So, how many of you guys eat like Thor?" she offered to the uneasy silence. The jest was enough to break the ice and soon everyone was seated. Loki never fully relaxed but he didn't spend the entire night high strung. True to his word he also tricked Darcy into trying some truly dreadful Asgardian dishes and took great amusement in the looks of disgust she pulled. He amended his teasing however when he would, with much convincing over his earlier trickery, get her to try dishes that he loved and watch the satisfied smile cross over Darcy's full lips when she ate something delicious. Seated at the head of the table, Frigga smiled warmly to her shamed son who's distant, hateful attitude seemed to melt away around the other human woman. It was something a mother took great pleasure in and the smile on her face told as such. Darcy was more important than she was given credit for, that much was certain. The simple girl who avoided mention far more often than she should was the greatest healing tool for a son she wanted desperately to be happy again. Observing their interactions, Frigga could see that perhaps Jane wasn't the only woman who they might be welcoming to the family.

((A/N: Glad to know the sequel is appreciated. I hope the rest of the chapters are to everyone's satisfaction. Here is also where I'd link to the page I used to research Loki's fun little horse myth but I sadly didn't bookmark it before I moved house and now I can't find it. But I'd recommend looking it up. Norse mythology is actually pretty fascinating.))


	3. Chapter 3 - Dance Number

Chapter 3 – Dance Number

The next couple of days were filled with the same excited wonder and playfulness. For the most part Loki and Darcy went off on their own, exploring Asgard without the company of those who distrusted the former and his subsequent rage. Most of that time was spent teasing and enjoying themselves though at times Darcy had to distract or cool the temper of her god friend. Every now and then the treatment of the general populace would get under his skin and his eyes would gleam with that psychotic fury that left the young woman concerned. While he was much lighter these days there was still a decent amount of his inner torment torturing him. The people around him weren't helping.

She did her best to be a welcome distraction and at times she tempted the idea of trying different kinds of diversions. This was when much more flirty teasing came to play but it was always constrained. Neither of them indicated outright, their interest in each other so it felt more like just another one of the games they played. It was actually beginning to frustrate Darcy again who had planned while packing to come to Asgard, to finally sort all the questions out in her head. Loki hadn't become any easier to read now that she was spending all day with him. Tonight she would have the perfect chance.

"You really are quite beautiful." Frigga commented as she entered the room where Asgardian women readied Jane and Darcy. They had made dresses for the human women and were currently fixing their hair. Jane was dressed in one of the robe like garbs, off the shoulder and instead of the dull colours that most of the Asgardians wore; hers was a lovely plum colour that was oddly sensual and wouldn't contrast with Thor's attire. Darcy however wore what she thought was a less modest robe. It was high collared and sleeveless but with a low cut v that put a little too much focus on her cleavage. It was a deep blue with hints of gold woven in patterns in some places. Apparently a noble Asgardian called Freyja had been the one to make the dresses, citing Darcy's figure as lovely and in need of displaying.

"Thank you." She replied with only the slightest blush as her and her boss were finally free to go. She smiled warmly at Jane who returned the gesture. "I feel like I fell asleep watching a Disney movie. Are we about to break into song?" Darcy joked. Frigga frowned for a moment though everyone was getting use to her frequent jests.

"Thank you for all this. It really wasn't necessary." Jane offered but Frigga just waved her away. It was obvious it wasn't as grand a gesture to her as it was to them although she had never prepared such festivities for Midgardians.

Darcy took a deep breath, her and Jane a step behind Frigga as she entered the grand hall almost like ladies in waiting to a queen. The men were all conversing, soon to be seated at the many tables but turned to observe the entrance. Darcy spotted Thor talking to his father who upon sighting Jane went from gobsmacked to greatly pleased in seconds. They strode over to the pair, the other two women taking places next to their respective partners as Darcy teased the god of thunder about the grin no one could wipe off his face. She then cast her gaze over the gathering to the people who were now intermingling. Sif and the warriors three were nearby Volstagg complaining that they should start eating before the food got cold, Fandral flirting easily with the women that flocked towards him while Sif and Hogun discussed battle tactics. But she was looking for someone else, someone she could not spy in the crowds.

She glanced to the bracelet she still wore, the second or first eye of Smurf, whispering the request to point the way. The light within the eye moved and she followed its gaze to shadow. If she squinted she could just see a person hidden behind one of the pillars, Smurf perched nearby swishing its tail like an irritated cat. Darcy smiled smugly, excusing herself from the group as all four of them exchanged knowing looks.

Loki didn't really mean to hide. He hadn't been at first. Despite the looks everyone shot him he had stood tall with his brother and father, dressed in full gear and showing pride. But then aggression had nagged at him until he could feel the madness just under his skin. Thor had noticed it and requested that his brother go have a breather. He had hesitated but after a moment he relented, disappearing out one of the doors to the balconies. The cool night air seemed to do him good and by the time he returned he was feeling better. He was at the back of the crowd when the women entered the hall and had stopped on the spot, stunned by what he saw.

He knew Darcy was lovely but it was something else to see her out of those Midgardian clothes that covered her up. It reminded him of the night he had gone to see her. She had looked so beautiful that he wanted to forget that they were friends. Those lips, smiling shyly made him recall the kiss he had given her in teasing, knowing she would go crazy with questions once he was gone. Unfortunately it was he who was now driven mad by it, desperately craving to do it again. But he was knocked from his lust when he heard men speaking of her around him. Comments on her beauty, wonder as to why she spent so much time with the fallen prince.

"No wonder Freyja took a liking to her. She could be a goddess of love herself." One man commented causing Loki's eyes to twitch as he felt jealousy for someone other than his brother. He had a sudden want to rid all the men from the room and order them not to look at her again.

"That frost giant has no place with such a woman." Another man commented. Loki tried to define who it was in the crowd but found himself chasing other such phrases and suddenly his refreshment was over. Bitterly he slunk into the shadows, disappearing behind a pillar and not wanting to be there any longer. It was far too difficult to keep in control of his inner turmoil around those that saw only the Jotun in him. It would be easier to disappear than risk losing to himself and destroying all his hard work in favour of destroying the fools who distrusted him.

"I suppose there will be drinking involved tonight." Darcy guessed, leaning on the other side of the pillar and sweeping her gaze over the party. Loki sighed, stepping out of the shadows but not casting his eyes to her and instead, bitterly at the Asgardians.

"You get to try the cider of the golden apples tonight. We're not supposed to give it to Midgardians since that's the source of our long life but I think that's deliberate. Mother and father wouldn't want Jane to pass away from old age when Thor will reach it far slower." He deduced looking over at the mentioned couple. Thor was trying to get Jane's attention who was having a very animated conversation with one of the scholars.

"Well you could turn it all to ice-cream. Just saying." Darcy offered with a carefree expression on her face, looking innocently up at Loki from under her eyelashes as he stared incredulously. She was distracting him from anger again. He smiled pleasantly, tilting his head back to the crowds.

"Are you trying to take my place as god of mischief?" he inquired. Darcy pushed off the pillar, standing next to Loki and looping her arm through his with a grin on her face.

"I thought I should fill in until the boss is well again." She jested, biting her lip in a smug teasing way that tortured Loki in a different fashion. But if she wanted to play he would gladly accept the challenge.

"That was brilliant!" Darcy said amongst her laughter. She nearly fell over as she stumbled in hysterics, Loki catching her just in time deciding to keep a hold around her waist. She had boasted for her drinking prowess on Earth but Asgardian liquor was evidently stronger. The more she had drunk in an attempt to keep up with the best the more outrageous her humour had become. All of Asgard had pretty much given up trying to decide if she was a good or a bad influence on Loki. While she had lightened him from the monster they all thought he was she was also encouraging tricks he hadn't really been up to since his discovery of being adopted. That was why Volstagg and a few other men with his appetite had watched in horror as their food got off their plates and did an entire dance number before running away.

"Oh! I know what you could do next!" she shouted as her eyes widened in excitement, grabbing Loki by the armour on his chest. He believed she was trying to pull a serious expression but her intoxication was making it come off as crazy. "You could make all the guards' armour disappear so they all man the halls in their underwear! I always wanted something like that to happen to the security guards on campus." She continued and Loki could only laugh. "You have a very cute smile." She observed, leaning back as if she was scrutinizing an artwork. Loki watched her in amusement, saved from replying when Jane and his brother stumbled over. Jane had forgone drinking much at all but Thor was following his usual style of drinking half of what was meant to go to everyone.

"We're retiring for the night; I think you should take her back to her room as well." Jane suggested, laughing as Darcy and Thor, in drunken companionship, made a song up on the spot that told an epic tale of a dirty sock that once belonged to Thanos.

"Yes. I fear if we leave them to it much longer there are going to be tales about this that Thor won't live down." Loki jested, glancing to the pair who were keeping each other up in their drunken stumbles.

"Hey! Loki! Thor's getting laid!" Darcy called out after a whispered exchange that involved lots of giggles. The look Jane shot them both suggested that this was optimism on the younger woman's behalf. "Oh, you want to." She growled obviously not appreciating the criticism. Loki observed that Jane had drunk enough to fall to her assistant's childish antagonising.

"Why are you so brash?! Is it just because you desperately want some?" she asked blushing furiously all the while. Darcy's eyes widened, an indignant expression crossing her face.

"Whoa! I can get some! With the hot younger brother no less!" she shouted back. Loki had been thinking of intervening right up until that point. This new bit of information was quite intriguing however and he wanted to see what it was going to lead to.

"Oh really? Should I bring up your "cut" comment?" Jane rebutted almost like she sincerely believed Darcy was jealous. Loki imagined sober none of them would.

"Eh. Cut shmut." Was Darcy's creative reply, stumbling back into Loki, draping an arm over his shoulders before gesturing to him with her free arm. "See the thing is. I've noticed something tonight. That is that the crotch area of this man's outfit doesn't do the fact he's trying to smuggle Myeh-myeh out in his pants any good." She said pulling away and trying to stand straight although swaying on the spot. The look on her face suggested that the tiniest hint of sobriety had picked up on the fact she really shouldn't have said that. Loki didn't know whether to blush or laugh. Jane just blinked at Darcy before rolling her eyes, shaking her head and grabbing a hold of her intoxicated lover to lead him away.

"Have you really been staring at my crotch all night?" Loki found himself unable to resist asking. Darcy giddily grinned, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively at him. He opened his mouth to comment though he was beaten to it.

"Openly since about the third tankard which I'm surprised you didn't notice but I've been subtly staring at your goods since a long time ago." She added beginning to drunkenly stumble ahead of him as they left the dining hall. Whatever Loki had been planning to say flew from his mind, an awkward, shy but amused smile taking over his open mouth before he closed it in entertained thought, his eyes watching the floor. He pursed his lips for a second, the smirk still there before he began following his drunken friend.

"I think you need to go back to your room and sleep." He recommended, noting that Darcy was walking a completely different direction, deciding to balance on a low wall. She was doing surprisingly well considering her level of intoxication.

"No way! I don't have battle scars yet nor have a stolen something that will make no sense when I wake up in the morning!" Darcy shouted back, finally stumbling and falling just as she reached the end of the wall. Luckily Loki was close and quick enough to catch her. She giggled and mumbled something incoherent before struggling out of his grip and looking at one of the buildings she had not been able to visit. Loki noticed there was a certain look to her eye that suggested she was vying for his position as the god of mischief again and he followed her gaze. It was the prison.

"No, no, no, no, no!" he called out, darting to stand in front of her and try to dissuade her from the idea she was obviously formulating. She just laughed and pushed past him, running in the general direction. "You won't be able to get in anyway. The guards will stop you." He called out half-heartedly. Darcy slowed to a halt looking rather disappointed. The pout on her face was childish but also successful in making Loki feel bad for ruining her fun.

"Loki." She called out in a juvenile whine, extending the vowels. She tripped on the hem of her dress as she was walking back to him winding up getting caught again. He looked down at the woman in his arms thinking not for the first time that night that it was highly concerning that she was the one who had helped him fix his broken mind. "Please? It'll be fun. You're the god of mischief, don't you want to have a little fun?" she begged. He would like to pretend that her vocal argument hadn't been completely unpersuasive and actually rather convincing because if he didn't he would have to admit that the reason he snuck them past the guards was because she'd been rubbing up against him and hugging him close to her. "Where are we?" she questioned as they wandered dark halls for a while.

"The holding cells. This is where Odin sends our greatest enemies." Loki explained having been hidden somewhere in here not so long ago. Although he would have been in one of the specialized wings. This was more a common holding cell. Behind stone walls lay various agents of wrongdoings.

"Man. How do I keep doing that?!"Darcy suddenly shouted causing Loki to look her way startled. He glanced back down the hall to check if any of the guards had heard. Unfortunately in that brief moment of taking his eyes off the human woman she kicked something that caused one of the stone walls to go down. Hearing the noise, Loki reacted just in time to pull Darcy into the shadows as three very large men stepped out of their cell. Storm giants. They exchanged malicious grins before disappearing down one of the hallways, no one noticing that the Midgardian's bracelet had left her wrist and attached itself to one of the oversized humanoid beings as if it knew they would need help cleaning up a mess in the morning. Loki cursed under his breath, releasing Lewis who giggled.

"Good job Darce. Do you want to let anymore bad guys out or just keep forcing the most important person in your life to take you to all the spots that have bad memories? Why not ask him all about being a frost giant? Or better yet, ask him to take you to Yo-town." she began rambling to herself. Loki stared at her not knowing how to respond to drunken honesty.

"Am I really that important?" he found himself asking after a moment, unable to ignore curiosity. Darcy laughed almost bitterly as she gave him a look like it was obvious.

"You have to be. Why else would I be so damn frustrated by that kiss?! And _you_! You can't drop me any hint after that?! At first I thought you were just teasing me but now I don't know!" she started raging, stumbling over to him to poke him in the chest like it was the most intimidating thing imaginable. Weirdly enough it was. Either that or it was the accusing look on her face that got to him.

"I apologise. I may have gotten too caught up in my game." He offered grabbing Darcy's hand so she would stop jabbing him. It wasn't hurting but he was wondering if she might hurt herself on his armour. She narrowed her eyes as if trying to assess something. The only warning he got after that was her gaze lowering to his lips before she crashed into a much more aggressive kiss than the brisk one he had given her all those months ago.

She tasted mostly like cider, and the alcohol made her movement clumsy. It was actually impressive really. If she was this good intoxicated he would really enjoy her sober. Her overwhelming presence was enough to make him forget their current situation. She demanded all his attention and as she pulled him off the wall and onto the floor of the cell she had accidentally opened he found he was quite willing to give his concentration to her. They were both frustrated as they pulled his layers of armour away, tearing at it and tossing it across the room like they hoped it would never return again.

Darcy was intoxicated and in her mind she joked that it wasn't the cider. With each tankard that at first had been friendly competition, she found herself thinking more and more on the kiss parting Loki had given her months ago. She also spent a good deal of time before drunkenness had evolved into several people wandering, herself included, staring intently at his face. How expressive his features were, the lovely shade of his eyes, how he had several different smiles and she found all of them attractive. Now she was letting that frustration out as she kissed him so hard it could almost bruise. She was infuriated by the layers of clothing that were apparently necessary for Asgardian men but once she had stripped him down to his pants she was quite satisfied. She bit her lip giving him a very suggestive look. But he wasn't an awkward boy baffled by how sultry she could be. Entranced by it at times maybe but seconds after she had made that face he had rolled them over so she was pinned on the ground. A battle of domination that she was glad to partake in. Also, she had never done it in a prison cell let alone one for monumental beings in a golden city so that was a bonus too. It was definitely going to be a night to remember.

((A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Also thank you SqueakyDolphin for pointing out that I have gone a little OOC. I didn't notice it until then. I'd leashed his usual rage without even meaning to. I'll keep that in mind for next time 'round. Hopefully I haven't strayed too far in what I have already written. FYI to all: Yo-town is how Darcy pronounces Jotun. I love playing with her attempts at Asgardian names. Mjolnir especially.))


	4. Chapter 4 - Weirder Situations

Chapter 4 – Weirder Situations.

The first thing he was aware of was how uncomfortable the cold, stone floor felt pressing into his side. Then when he had held tighter on the ball of warmth beside him he recalled that this was in fact, one Darcy Lewis. His eyes snapped open, lust and the slightest traces of golden cider no longer in his system to distract him. Well, for the most part. Instead he became all too aware of several things. One of those was that he and his lover had fallen asleep under his green cape in the prison that had once held three very important and dangerous beings. Panic began to set in, Loki carefully slipping away from the woman who was deep in sleep. It impressed him, the places where bits and pieces of his clothing had made it to. He had only just donned his pants and boots however when he noticed the golden light creeping in through from the hall had been disturbed. He glanced up with the meekest of expressions for someone usually so proud. If he didn't feel guilty he probably would have raged at the mistrust on some of the faces he saw there.

"You are behind this?" Odin inquired, rage in his voice at his son. Sif eyed him hostilely while Volstagg and Fandral seemed to be a little more forgiving than she had been. They, like Thor had noticed the sleeping woman who obviously wasn't wearing anything under the green material. Thor chose this moment to clear his throat and point this out to his father who seemed on the verge of disappointment. Instead his anger was instantly diffused as everyone realized Loki hadn't entirely been up to mischief and plotting or at least the trouble they all feared of him.

As if the gaze of the others was some kind of alarm clock Darcy stirred, groaning sleepily. She rubbed her eyes and reached about as if searching for her earlier source of warmth only to realize he was no longer there. Her eyes blinked open as she took in her bearings. She had the puzzlement on her face that could only be associated with the morning after as she tried to work out where she was. She also seemed to disregard the presence of the Asgardians in the doorway, finally landing her gaze on Loki who's worried expression changed to a faint apologetic smile.

"Are you aware that you have unleashed three storm giants?" Odin questioned, the usual commanding gone from his voice. A thoughtful look crossed Darcy's face that suggested she was recalling what she could of the night before. She could remember good chunks of it actually, some parts of which made her wish the others weren't there and that Loki hadn't put those damned pants back on. She smiled absently for a second when it clicked that she was on a foreign planet in a prison wearing nothing but her lover's cape while his brother, father and friends looked on unsure whether to reprimand them for the damage they'd caused or awkwardly leave the room so they could make themselves decent.

"Well…I've woken up in weirder situations." She said more to herself with a laugh before awkwardly standing up and wrapping Loki's cloak around her in the same motion. She ignored the shocked look the Asgardians shot her, not entirely understanding her disregard for the situation. It was in that moment that she noticed the lack of her living bracelet. "What the hell?" she asked, glancing around the clothing on the floor hoping to spy the glowing blue eye.

"What's wrong?" Loki inquired blushing slightly at the amount of concern that entered his voice. He glanced cautiously at his father and brother glad to see they had ignored it.

"Smurf's offshoot is gone." Darcy explained. Loki cast his gaze quickly around the room as Darcy stared wide eyed at him like he could fix what she clearly thought was the bigger concern. She barely stopped herself from glaring at Odin when he changed topic to the Storm Giants, discussing with his sons, Sif and the warriors three the necessity of returning the prisoners to their cell. She fumed silently when they all left but Loki who turned to his lover.

"Don't worry. I'll find Smurf and he can take us to his offshoot. It will be fine. Just wait until I clean up…this." He demanded of her, gesturing with his arms to the empty room before grabbing the rest of his garments from the floor, motioning for Darcy to follow. She grabbed her dress but did not forgo displaying her irritation. Of course the logical part of her knew that the escaped giants were the bigger issue but she could not cut out the selfish immaturity she saved for her friend cross lover, Smurf and her iPhone. Nor that bizarre motherly instinct for Smurf she could not comprehend but had none the less.

Loki felt that karma was perhaps the best way to describe the awkward and tense sensation of riding in the small group that were helping him clean up the mistakes of the night before. His father had sent him, his brother, Sif and the warriors three to find and capture the giants. Sif and Hogun said nothing. Volstagg looked awkwardly anywhere but him. Fandral kept giving him this amused smile that made his face flush red. Then there was his brother. The looks he shot Loki were the kind that promised a great many hours of brotherly mocking when the serious part was all over. This was what he deserved for teasing Darcy for so long. He hoped silently and fruitlessly, that it wouldn't get worse.

"Darcy is a truly beautiful woman but I'm curious, how skilled is she?" Fandral inquired with no shame. A mixture of embarrassment, jealousy and rage sent Loki's face scarlet as his jaw clenched, Thor finding it so entertaining that his booming laughter echoed off cavern walls.

"I find that's none of your business." Loki hissed trying desperately to focus on the task at hand. "If you have time to gossip you have time to look out for signs of the giants." He added after a moment casting a deliberate look around the rocky area they were currently riding through.

"Come, good brother. Calm down. We will find the Storm Giants easy enough. They have nowhere to run." Thor explained leading his horse next to Loki's so he could clap his sibling on the shoulder. He earned a dark look of irritation for his amusement.

"So in the meantime." Fandral teased obvious in his attempt to get back to what he found both fascinating and entertaining. In all truth, if it didn't annoy Loki so much he'd be glad. He had finally earned a reprieve from the other type of judgemental airs. "Come on Loki. Don't you want to boast your conquest?" Fandral added after a moment with an easy smile. It shouldn't have been a surprise that the road to his forgiveness resided in his interest in women, one the young prince shared when it came to that particular Midgardian. In spite of his usual arrogance and upright posture Loki bent down meekly looking to the promiscuous man. After a moment the frown on his face morphed to thoughtful innocence. He cast his gaze down, his eyebrows lifted with a look almost akin to surprise as he thought back to the night before. Before he knew what he was doing a content smile had crept its way onto his face as he reminisced and wondered about the future of his relationship with the beautiful Midgardian woman.

"She is…lovely." He said softly thinking of her smiling in that teasing way that only she could do, both innocent and sultry at the same time. He was knocked from his mind however, literally as what seemed at the time like noise beat down the horses of the Asgardians.

The Storm Giants had been trailing them, no doubt by the laughter of Thor and the debate between Fandral and Loki. He cursed under his breath, checking his mount to find her thankfully alive before readying himself for battle. Their enemy had taken the group by surprise and this had worked greatly to their advantage. One of the giants had vanished somewhere with Sif and Thor, another one battled Volstagg and Hogun. The god of mischief glanced quickly to Fandral who was mocking the third giant, trying to distract it. This didn't go as planned however. With a vicious sneer the monstrous humanoid used a weapon they had no doubt recovered from somewhere secret to shatter earth, giant chunks of rock tumbling into the flirtatious Asgard and crushing him under their weight.

"Fandral!" Loki called out, eyes wide with concern. He threw one of his knives at the storm giant, the pain from the attack distracting it long enough for him to clear the gap. He used a copy, causing the beast to attack it right where the boulders sat on top of Fandral, freeing him from their weight. He coughed, thanking the real god of mischief as Loki hefted the warrior up and dragged him to hiding. This was not going as well as the Asgardian had hoped. But he needed to only bide time until Thor could get back to them, he being the best warrior of the group. From the sounds in the distance he was near certain that his brother had already dealt with his enemy and was now headed toward Hogun and Volstagg. He barely had time to think about Sif before he found her spear in his face, knocking Fandral away from him.

"You planned this!" She accused. Loki felt rage boil inside of him but he wasn't given the opportunity to act on his frustrations. Locked in a battle that swept between himself, Sif and the storm giant, it was all he could focus on to keep himself from harm.

"Why aren't they back yet?" Darcy inquired, panic creeping into her voice. She had returned to her clothes from Earth, preferring their ease of mobility to the flowing dresses of Asgardians.

"Don't worry Darcy. You know Thor and Loki are capable of looking after themselves." Jane tried to reassure her assistant even though she needlessly fretted herself. The younger woman couldn't stop pacing, glancing every now and then down the road the men and woman had rode hours ago. Anxiety twisted in her stomach uncomfortably as she regretted more than ever, some of the actions of the night previous. She calmed only slightly when she felt and heard the familiar chime in her head, her gaze whipping over to the ever growing creature that ran toward her.

"Smurf!" she cried out as the living weapon chirped audibly. "Where's the bracelet?" she inquired, taking a hold of the creature's head as the glowing white dot she saw as its pupil flicked down the road she had just been watching. "Take me there." She ordered. She heard Jane and Frigga demanding her to stop and think but she ignored them as Smurf latched around her body like armour making mechanical noises akin to the quieter ones from when the creature had revealed itself as sentient instead of being a wrist guard crossbow.

When Smurf travelled with her it was very similar to the Tesseract. The ground whipped away from her feet as colourful light surrounded her. A melody of bells filled her ears and her head and there was warmth; so much warmth it almost burned her body like a hot flush. Then the world slammed into her feet and she was standing amongst rocky terrain, only prevented from stumbling by the strange solid armour that Smurf had become.

"Darcy?" she heard a voice curiously call out but she didn't have time to locate the god of mischief. Instinctually her body dodged flying boulders though the action felt foreign to her form. It was once again that bizarre feeling where her body fell into an unfamiliar rhythm. As if she shared control of it with something else far more skilled in battle than she. Darcy turned on the Storm Giant seeing her bracelet scurrying away from the creature and disappearing over a ridge.

She ducked, dodged, jumped and flipped. Her reactions to blows oddly graceful and yet entirely unnatural. She glanced to Smurf's head resting on the back of and around her hand like some giant crossbow mixed with a longbow. The light of his eye shone brighter than usual as if abnormally pleased by the sensation of battle as it charged and sent bolts of electricity out to the enemy when necessary. Amidst her battle she recognised that Loki was also facing the threat of Sif right up until the point Fandral stepped in to stop his female companion. But Darcy didn't have time to focus on whatever was happening between them. With the focus gone from the Asgardians, the storm giant saw the human woman as his target. She would have to defeat it without their help.

She ducked the swing of the strange club the giant wielded before taking aim, a bolt of lightning generating as quickly as her mind created it. The stronger jolt of electricity sent the being flying backwards, knocking rocks onto his body. Then the torso and shoulder armour that Smurf had become detached almost as if Darcy's touch burned it but she knew why. She was suddenly exhausted, her body sore and ability to comprehend slow. She barely understood that it was Loki who ran over and caught her, holding her safe as Thor came flying past from somewhere.

He was worried for her and desperately afraid. She had appeared in front of them suddenly and then fought like some legendary hero and he had been unable to help thanks to Sif's mistrust of him. He didn't even acknowledge his brother who had defeated the other two giants and was now fighting the one Darcy had just injured which had broken free from the boulders that had collapsed upon it. Smurf clicked in worry as it glanced to the god of mischief who felt it was near time they actually put some more effort into learning about the creature. There was something terrifyingly dangerous about it no matter how much he and his lover cared for the thing.

"Darcy, can you hear me?" he asked in concern as her eyes seemed to loll about her head, focusing on nothing. His voice seemed to revive her some as those beautiful eyes locked onto his face. He smiled cautiously though his brow did not drop from its risen concern.

"Yeah…sorry. Patience isn't a virtue I practiced." She explained in a husky, tired voice. He laughed gently as her lips curved into one of those sassy smirks that made him think she would be a perfect goddess of mischief.

"Dear, I don't think you practice _any_ virtues." He replied. He knew if she'd had the energy she would have punched him for that. Instead he earned a look that promised reprimand later. Then she took a deep breath almost in contentment and she was asleep. He worried tirelessly that she might not wake up and glanced cautiously to Smurf. "I think it's high time we found out where you come from my not so little friend. You continue to grow though you have never eaten…though we know that you get something out of battle and take adrenaline from her when you are in combat." He told the creature. It made a sad chime noise, its antennae drooping as it watched Darcy intently. "I know you don't mean it Smurf. That's why we need to learn more." He explained glancing back to the woman in his arms, fearing for her safety.

She was surrounded by warmth when she finally came to. If she wanted to be a romantic she'd describe it like she was sleeping in a bed of sunshine. She wouldn't have been too far off it either. The Asgardian room was a brilliant gold and warm light danced into the room granting such a pleasant heat that she wanted to feign sleep forever. The bed in which she slept was drowned in blankets and pillows, all a deep green colour that gave her a fairly good hint as to whose room she was sleeping in.

"Hey Smurf." She said softly when a timid trickle of chimes sent her gaze to the end of the bed. The creature sat there, the light in its gem of an eye looking oddly dim. It sat there as if afraid to approach until she smiled warmly, gesturing for Smurf to come close. "Cheer up. You helped me save Loki. You're not allowed to feel bad about that." Darcy reprimanded with tired laughter in her voice. She was still drowsy and felt it might take breakfast and another night's sleep before she'd be back to normal.

As she contemplated this she rolled onto her back noticing that in her sleep she had turned away from the man resting beside her bed. Loki sat on a chair, bent awkwardly forward onto the bed looking even more uncomfortable because of his height. Darcy tilted her head, pursing her lips as her eyes displayed a silent plea that he get some rest in a proper bed too.

"You really scared him." A woman''s voice spoke up alerting Darcy to Frigga's presence. She glanced fondly to her adopted son as she approached the bed, the warmth of a mother's love in her eyes.

"Sorry about that." Darcy offered as she too looked over the young man. His long hair was messy and even with half his face hidden in blankets she could tell there were dark rings under his eyes.

"Nothing you can do. You worry about him just as much as he does for you." Frigga replied gently stroking her son's hair. He groaned obviously close to waking. The older woman smirked, casting a knowing look to Darcy. "Thank you Darcy Lewis. I had feared that we would never get him back. You changed that." She expressed her gratitude before leaving the room at a remarkably fast pace.

"You're awake!" Loki cried out with so much joy in his voice he blushed at his own forwardness. Awkwardly he sat back down casting his gaze to the floor beside him as he cleared his throat in a feeble attempt to pretend he had remained calm and collected.

"It's good to see you too." Darcy jested with a tired smile. She gently reached out, taking one of Loki's hands from the mattress to give it a small squeeze, reassuring him that she was fine and would only get better. "You should get some rest. You keep sitting in that chair you're gonna look as deathly as when I first met you." She informed him, mothering him like a reckless child. She would have to say it wasn't his arrogance that made him stand up to her though he would plead superiority over infatuated concern.

"I'll be fine. I'm a god. You on the other hand need constant supervision." He chided puffing up his chest and sitting tall as if he could command the human woman. They both knew better and Darcy's expression said she was calling his bluff as she raised an eyebrow at him. It was a silent message that he should be careful who he scolded. His ego deflated a little as he began slouching down, awkwardly looking away again. She laughed at that thinking that she had won the jackpot in using her feminine influence over a lover as important as the god of mischief.

"Well if you're not going to go rest in another bed come join me in this one." She offered, lifting the blankets beside her. He hesitated for only a second before fumbling to quickly remove his coat, armour pieces and boots before sliding in beside her. At first his touches were gentle as if he feared the slightest pressure would shatter the woman beside him. But after a moment and a few offended light punches from the Midgardian he brought his arms around her in a tight, protective embrace. It was altogether warm and comfortable and soon enough Darcy was drifting back to sleep where her dreams were filled with passion and the ruler of mischief.


	5. Chapter 5 - Less Maniacal

Chapter 5 – Less Maniacal

Despite the childish nature of the emotion Loki felt the strongest desire to lock himself in a dark room and brood. All because it was finally the day he had been dreading. The day Heimdall declared that S.H.I.E.L.D had eliminated the threat on Earth and that the Midgardian women could return. It had come all too soon. Darcy had barely recovered although even in his head he knew that was a lie. He had spent the last two weeks running around with the woman who had little to no concern that she had been in bed for days due the battle with the Storm Giants. But still, to him it felt like it had come all too quickly. A part of him wanted to beg his father to give them or at least Darcy permanent residency on Asgard. The dim voice in the back of his mind raged at that. It had no influence over him anymore but he could still hear it. The sound of his madness, something he feared would always be a part of him. If that reminder wasn't there he'd almost think that his battles with Thor, with The Avengers had all been part of a very weird dream. He had been a completely different person then.

"Hey, you keep hiding in here you'll miss saying goodbye." A soft, comforting voice teased, forcing Loki to glance to the door of the dark room he had disappeared into. She had developed a knack for finding him. He wasn't sure if this pleased or infuriated him.

"What if I don't want to say goodbye?" he questioned regretting the words the minute they were out of his mouth, pursing his lips in frustration at his own honest immaturity. She laughed and that musical sound made him think for a second it had been worth his shame.

"Well I'm afraid you can throw as many tantrums as you want Mr God of Mischief but unfortunately Jane and I are still going back to Earth." She lectured with good humour in her sultry voice. His face screwed up in a weird, irritated smile that clearly stated "yeah, I know" as he ran a hand through his long hair. It made him think that maybe it was high time he ditched the "I'm so mentally unstable I don't have time for a hair cut" style. He glanced to Darcy realising he was getting sidetracked. "Anyway, come say goodbye or _I'm_ going to start throwing tantrums." She ordered, carefully strolling over to the Asgardian to entice him with a gentle, sultry kiss. It only made him curse her abilities and the fact she was leaving even more.

Everyone was waiting or everyone important when they made their way to the courtyard the women had arrived through. Apparently the official pleasantries had taken place while Loki had been pacing in his hideout. Thor was exchanging sad glances with Jane and the contraption he held as if contemplating destroying it and the Tesseract just so the woman he loved could stay. His younger brother couldn't deny that the thought was crossing his mind as well.

"Okay, now I should be right to go." Darcy commented making it obvious that she had been the one to insist on dragging Loki out instead of letting him hide and avoid the upsetting farewell. She released the hand he forgot she had been holding to go over and stroke Smurf's bow like head earning sad chimes and chirps. It reminded the Asgardian that he had something to focus on when she left.

Darcy could hear a strange ringing in the back of her head and she knew instinctively that her living weapon was partly relieved to be separated from the master it had harmed unintentionally. Mentally she told Smurf not to worry so much, apologetic chimes that responded confirming her belief that she had some sort of link with the creature.

"I'll begin researching the origins of the Tesseract and Smurf so we can avoid needless worry in the future." Loki informed her and the young woman glanced back to her lover. His expression was focused, clear that he had strong determination to solve the riddle and prevent anymore near death experiences. A fond smile made its way onto her face. She scratched what she called Smurf's chin before walking over and embracing the man, pecking him on the cheek as she pulled away.

"Don't worry so much. Everything will be okay." She informed him like she knew the outcome. The smile he offered was a mixture of affection and disbelief in her reassurance but she couldn't chide him for that. Instead she joined Jane at Thor's side while they said their goodbyes. As her hand grasped the contraption that would take her home she found her gaze longingly watching the god of mischief who seemed to want to look away, to not have that final glance but in the last second before the world was whisked from Darcy's feet their eyes met and she mirrored the sorrow in that beautiful, lonely glance. When her feet hit the ground on Earth she'd be lying to say that the knots in her stomach were only the result of travel via Tesseract.

In the time that past he denied that he spent a lot of time brooding though in honesty he knew it was a rather pathetic lie. No one dared confront him about it however so he was fairly free to act arrogant as he stalked the halls of Asgard. If he wasn't focused in a research centre with Smurf or scouring the great libraries for records he was on the plains and mountains, following the herds and talking to Sleipnir.

Thor tried approaching him from time to time and usually they fell into the easy familiarity of each other's company. Nothing seemed to have been destroyed from their years of growing up together and at times Loki felt ashamed for disowning his brother. Currently he was the one who understood his distress the most. Loki's relationship with Odin was still brittle, neither reaching out for fear of the other's rage. There was a want for repair on both sides but neither knew where to start or what to do. Both had made grave mistakes in the past. Ones that could not simply be ignored and forgotten no matter how much they wished it could be so.

Frigga was open like always. Whenever she didn't have to stand on ceremony she was there, willing to be someone to talk to or even just sit with on those lonelier nights. She comforted both her sons who were mourning the absence of the women they loved. It was welcome to Loki who had few to console him or confide in although recent events had made an improvement. Sif still gave him the cold shoulder but her hostility was subdued partly due to lectures she had received from other. The danger her distrust had caused with the storm giants was forgiven by all but Loki who felt a seed of hatred buried deep in his chest for the woman. Hogun he couldn't read which he wasn't sure if this was a curse or a blessing. Volstagg was approaching friendly, offering food in an attempt to cheer the sons of Odin up. Fandral, he had obviously completely forgiven the god of mischief. That didn't mean Loki enjoyed his constant attempts to hook him up with some woman he didn't care for. The only woman he wanted to spend time with was so far away it ached.

Tonight he stood on the balcony outside his room which was a mess of books and parchments. He'd grown tired and in spite of his desire to be distracted by something his eyes could no longer focus on the words. He could not sleep; his longing would not permit it but the blurred letters he attempted to read were no longer a salvation either. So instead he was left brooding as he watched the night sky, using the constellations to pinpoint exactly where Earth made its slow journey around its sun. On that planet so very far away was a woman he adored, that he yearned to have in his company again.

It was contentment. Not blissful joy but she was satisfied sitting on the roof of that building in New Mexico with her boss, the fire between them as they discussed the quirks of the two Asgardian men from their lives. She was glad for the last couple of nights. They hadn't been back home long despite being back on Earth for over a month. S.H.I.E.L.D, fury, Natasha. They had all spent an infuriating amount of time questioning Jane and Darcy. The younger woman was suspicious that maybe that was all the attack had been. She had a hunch they'd let Sumati slip a piece of her consciousness passed their barriers to influence a small group of believers who had eluded capture on purpose. Just so they had a reason to get humans on Asgard, to learn more about it. Unfortunately for the secret agency, neither woman took liberty to share much. Jane shared her knowledge of the Bifrost and that they would need an energy source akin to the Tesseract to recreate one. Everything else they avoided explaining in a way that kept Fury's jaw clenched making him represent his namesake. Their reminiscing was interrupted however when a different man from their lives hollered from the ground below.

"Selvig! You're back!" Jane called out cheerfully before running to the stairs with Darcy on her heels. Soon they'd unlocked the front door to let the brilliant scientist in who gave them each a fatherly hug.

"I thought I was having an adventure with Banner. Sounds like you guys did something else entirely." He commented in good humour in spite of his dislike of Loki and his protective caution for the girls. They laughed in return, leading the old man upstairs to join them on the roof.

Jane began recounting the experience to Selvig at a thousand words a second, slowed only by his persistent interruptions designed to understand the excited woman. Darcy smiled fondly, understanding why Foster had trouble keeping her energy in check. They had enjoyed their time in Asgard for more than one reason each. Unfortunately this only brought nostalgia to the younger woman who glanced up to the night sky looking at the bright lights scattered in the deep dark. Absently she played with her living bracelet, tracing circles next to the eye that dimmed like a purring cat closing its eyes.

"Heimdall…tell him I miss him, okay?" she requested softly, thinking of the man she had left behind upon returning.

Years ago he had been a faceless evil and when she heard the name Loki she thought of that giant metal thing that scared the life out of her some nights. When she had met him face to face she'd been terrified and in ironic amusement she laughed thinking of the taser tucked safely away in her shoulder bag. Over time they became friends with her constant support for Thor's and eventually his sake. Now, now they were something else. Could she label it? Use that "L" word that was so difficult to use. She remembered saying it once in high school but the end to that relationship had ended her willingness to speak it easily in earnest. She had spent most of her early adulthood having relationships with shallow emotional attachment. It was safer that way and then her work with Jane had distanced her from those she could have ended up with. But it had also brought her toward a man she never expected to fall for.

Light caught her eye, distracting her from her mind as she glanced to the bracelet on her wrist. Before she could force doubt to dull her excitement she was glancing eagerly around the roof. No one was there but her two friends in animated conversation. She barely needed to excuse herself before she'd disappeared to the rooms below.

"Heimdall must like you to pass on a message." A familiar teasing voice spoke out from the darkness. She couldn't see him in the vast room she had tased him in such a long time ago.

"Really? He must silently laugh at my brilliant sense of humour." She guessed pulling a thoughtful expression over her thrilled glee. Smurf's single eye opened if you could call it that, casting a dim blue glow over Darcy as it stepped toward her, even larger than before. It never ceased to amaze her how her pet grew every time her god of mischief brought him to her. But Loki was not beside the creature which she greeted cheerfully, still hidden in the shadows.

"Brilliant…really?" he asked in good humour. She stood still deducing that the voice was behind her at the entrance she had stepped into the room through. She was stunned when she turned around.

"You cut your hair." She commented like he didn't know. She would have scolded herself for saying something so stupid but she was too busy looking at him in the dim light. The change made him look younger. Innocent to the madness she sometimes caught in his eyes. His grin was mischievous as he finally approached her, staying back a step as he waited to hear of perhaps her approval. "I like it. It makes you look…less maniacal." She stated after a moment, bringing her hands up to play with the ends of his locks. He laughed at the strange compliment failing to feign offence.

"I'll assume that's a good thing." He said bringing his arms around Darcy's waist instinctively as she stepped closer. Her curved figure fit well against his body and he found himself glancing between her beautiful eyes and entrancing lips. Currently they framed her lovely teeth in a smile that preached happiness.

"You'd be right to. Hey, Fury might even think your safe to be around now." She jested, playing with the buckle of a strap going across his chest from his coat. The fidgeting seemed almost shy but Loki knew better of this particular Midgardian woman. This knowledge was proven when she was bold enough to pull him down into a passionate kiss that made him nearly forget why he had been given permission to come visit Earth.

"To be honest, I'm not sure if his concern for my inevitable relapse is unfounded." Loki confessed after pulling away, all too aware of his constant inner struggle to not fall to madness. Darcy's grip around him tightened as if she feared the S.H.I.E.L.D agent would appear from the shadows and snatch her lover away. The god of mischief smirked in amusement but refrained from teasing her. "I wish I could say this was a personal call my dear, but unfortunately I did have another purpose." Loki explained, pulling away only slightly from the woman, keeping his hands on her waist.

"Can we discuss business in an hour or something?" Darcy inquired with a pout that made him want to say yes desperately. But he knew time was vital now and he shouldn't waste it as much as he wanted to.

"Darcy, please. It's important." He implored pulling her away when she tried to use her body to distract him. She was far too good at that. She huffed and stamped her foot in a childish display but refrained from her distraction attempts. "Thank you." He consoled trying to soothe her irritation.

"Yeah. Okay. Now why are you here if not to tease me in all ways?" she asked with sulky frustration. He laughed pleasantly, watching her fondly. But as seemed to be the knack of the lives of those who lead abnormal existences, the moment was interrupted. Shattered with the shards of glass as Loki instinctively pulled his lover behind a nearby counter. Smurf shrieked in a painful crash of metal, protectively leaping towards the men and women that were streaming into the building.

It seemed without attaching to Darcy it had no charge of electricity but that made the living weapon no less dangerous. Its sheer size was enough to knock down a human. But if the couple were to leave it to the creature to defend them it would be a poor choice. Darcy had never seen the type of gun before, something odd and alien about it. Those that hadn't already been attacked by Smurf aimed their rifles at the creature. She felt a horrible emotional pain, despair in her chest when she heard the pained screeches like metal being scraped together.

"Smurf!" she cried out, slipping from Loki's protective arms before he could stop her. Soon someone else had a firm grip on her and the rough, scratchy voice was oddly familiar.

"Nice to finally meet you, Darcy Lewis." The man greeted glancing to Loki who had stepped out of hiding to try and stop his lover but had been too slow and now stood tense, ready to fight as soon as the opportunity arose. "This time you can't run away from the party." The scar faced man hissed. There was something odd, the slightest hint of another sound in his voice that reminded the woman of suggestive manipulation. Perhaps her knowledge of Sumati let her hear the indoctrination. But S.H.I.E.L.D had fixed that or at least that's what she had been told.

"What do you want with me?" she asked, glancing to Smurf. The creature was alive and she could see that it had not been seriously injured. Scratches and holes littered its body but it seemed almost aesthetic. Like the creature could not feel it. Like chipping a nail, it could not physically feel the damage to its metal armour and nothing seemed to have pierced vitals, if it had any. But it could not strike until she was free or risk her loss. It was provided its chance however.

"Let her go!" Jane called out as her and Selvig stumbled into the room, obviously to investigate the noise. Darcy also took the chance, elbowing her captor hard to wind him before tearing away. In the next instant, Smurf knocked aside those near it and leapt to its master, clamping around her body as protective armour. Small electricity, enough to knock humans down was sent quickly to every enemy before a stronger charge was pointed at the leader. He glared at Darcy and she recognised a shimmer go across his eyes in a fearsome colour.

"Go to hell." She commented in rage before firing a bolt of electricity at the man, knocking him out cold. It was a strange fury for the constant threat to her life as well as the damage they had caused Smurf. The anger was unnatural and a voice in her head feared that perhaps that suggestion was affecting even her with the wrath Sumati no doubt held for her capture.

Smurf quickly detached, scrambling away though the small attacks needed for humans used little of Darcy's energy. She felt only slightly tired. Like she had been hard at work for hours but not enough to be dizzy or faint. However the worried look on Loki's face made it feel like a requirement to smile and display that she was perfectly fine.

"What are you? The Asgardian Iron Man?" Selvig spoke up looking at Darcy in such a way she felt like a freak. Bashfully she glanced to Smurf who was sitting beside her protectively.

"You should only do that in dire circumstances. Preferably not at all." Loki intervened causing all to look his way. He pointedly ignored the hostile gaze Selvig saved for him. Obviously this time after parting ways he had gotten over his meekness. Darcy wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not. His arrogance sometimes scared her for it mixed so well with his madness.

"Why?" she asked trying not to think too much on the matter. He looked to the floor for a minute obviously composing what to say.

"We've learnt some really important things about Smurf over the last couple of months." He began standing as if reporting to a commanding officer. Superiority showed in his every movement but also a great deal of concern. "My brother, Sif and I investigated the planet where my father found the Tesseract. We believe we found directions to a research base of a race called the Skrulls. They are responsible for both the Tesseract and we believe, Smurf." He continued, thinking back to that expedition. At some point he had been left alone with Sif and despite the cooling of their hostility for each other, the adventure had ended in a big blow out. Loki was glad. He lost his caution for others in that argument though the removal of his timidness visibly concerned his family he felt he could control his madness and still be the great man he used to be before shame took hold.

"That still doesn't explain why I should stop fighting with Smurf." Darcy pointed out noticing he was avoiding the topic.

"He is, in simplicity, another Tesseract. He is a constant energy source. Unfortunately among his dissimilarities is the fact that unlike the Tesseract, this self-supplied power is not kept in check. He can only grow for so long. Eventually he will overload. When you fire these bolts of electricity you weaken his structure and decrease the time left until this happens." Loki finished explaining, understanding showing on Darcy's face in a mixture of fear but most importantly, sorrow. He understood clearly that Smurf meant the world to Darcy Lewis. And now she knew that unless they did something, she would lose the creature. It was clear what they and what she would do. The adventure, their time together was not over yet.

((A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad everyone is still enjoying my fic. Scarletwitch: Hopefully this adequately answered your question on why S.H.I.E.L.D wanted to get them to Asgard. Digressing for a second. Saw the trailer for the next Thor. Looks amazing. Will try and get this AU trio of ficlets done before its released.))


	6. Epilogue - Bite Me

Epilogue – Bite Me

She was irritated, he could clearly see that and he understood why. In all honesty he felt it was none of S.H.I.E.L.D's business but then again, he didn't particularly like the organization anyway. His hostility with Fury may have been caused by his actions but that didn't stop Loki from hating the man. He found himself frequently thinking when controlling the man's agents he should have had him shot in the head. Unfortunately he hadn't and that was why he and Darcy were forced to sit through another lecture. That is until Darcy stood up, the ever protective Smurf at her side making the action more imposing than most women could be not that this bothered Nick Fury. He dealt with the superhuman on a daily basis.

"Look, with all due respect Mr Superspy." Darcy began causing Loki to lose his irritated slouch in place of amusement at the reminder that she was still a childish college student at heart. "Bite me." She concluded, before turning around and walking away. In sincerity the Asgardian was surprised Fury didn't signal anyone to stop her, letting her walk right out of the building and back to the room she had been forced to stay at while government agencies discussed their discrepancies and the risk of sending both Smurf and a human on what could be a hopeless mission. They didn't seem to realize that she wasn't one of their agents and she wasn't going to this planet to help mankind. She was doing this to make sure she didn't lose her second favourite companion and as far as she was concerned, their opinion didn't matter. They had no say in what she was going to do.

"I'm guessing you're cemented enough in your "I'm a good guy now" routine to answer me honestly if I ask you something." Fury spoke up to Loki for the first time. The genuine lack of his usual hostility caught Loki off guard who sat up straight in his chair and tried to disguise his surprise with a serious expression. "What's the risk of letting her go do this coming back to bite me in the arse?" the agent questioned staring after the woman who was near impossible to argue with.

"What makes you think she's going to bring back danger?" Loki inquired slightly curious as to where this caution came from.

"She's going to another planet. I want to make sure no more races like the Chitauri become aware of Earth and decide to invade it." Fury explained and realization finally dawned on Loki. Now he understood why S.H.I.E.L.D had made such a big deal out of Darcy going to find out as much as she could about her weapon pet.

"If anything, this will put Asgard at risk. I think they'd investigate the nearest link first." Loki theorized rubbing his chin thoughtfully. He disregarded the concern with a shrug before standing up. "What does it matter? You have your _Avengers_ to deal with such things anyway." He added after a moment, saying the name with a hint of venom. Really, his hatred was just habit from his old ways. The little time he'd spent near the other warriors since his rehabilitation had made it clear that he might actually get along with them now that his crazy was in check.

"I'd prefer to minimize the number of occasions I have to organize that group of people." Fury commented with one last stern gaze before Loki left the room to pursue his ruffled lover. It made sense. They didn't entirely get along, that had been part of Loki's plan when he invaded Earth all those years ago. Limiting the number of times that ball of chaos got together was a wise decision.

Darcy was easy to find. She had taken a liking to a small corner of the room, hidden in a little area where no cameras could watch her. Not that they could right now, it seemed in her mood and with Smurf's assistance she had taken liberty to ripping all three of them off the walls. She barely glanced to the Asgardian as he took a seat on a nearby low desk, obviously still quite frustrated.

"You'll be right. We'll be off to Asgard tomorrow and you can pretend you never met the guy." Loki offered in consolation. She huffed, tightening into her curled up ball of rage and he found himself smiling in admiration. She was cute when she was angry.

"Can't you just have one tiny relapse just to get rid of him?" she asked and while it was a joke the tone of her voice suggested she seriously wanted it to happen. Loki laughed, ignoring the very real concern of him becoming an enemy of the Earth again.

"I'm afraid I've endured enough "don't be an evil overlord" lectures for my lifetime." He jested back obviously having spent too much time with Darcy, before pushing off his sitting spot to drop on the ground next to her. She was pointedly looking elsewhere pretending that she wanted nothing more than to be alone. Loki knew better however and it took only physical coaxing to encourage her onto his lap where she sought solace in his arms and chest. He held her in a tight embrace as if a physical shield from everything that irritated her.

"I just wish he'd stop treating me like a child. I'm nearly one of the Avengers by now, right? I should be. I've done my fair share of saving the world. Can't he see that this is important to me and just _let_ it happen? If this was Natasha or Steve or one of the other guys he'd help them out with it. Not try and forbid them from doing it." She complained obviously sulking at the prospect that she might still just be one of the little people. Of course that was only half of it but that was the half she wanted to talk about. Loki thought over this, laughing slightly at his own conclusions.

"Actually I don't think he would. I'm pretty sure he's had similar arguments with all of them especially Mr Stark." He theorized. Darcy couldn't deny that this wasn't a high possibility so had to give in and let Loki win that argument.

"Are you worried that something bad will happen?" Darcy inquired after a moment obviously not ignoring Fury's warnings as much as she pretended to. She was aware of how dangerous this mission might be, what they might uncover. But to her it was worth it. She cared deeply for Smurf almost like a mother as she stroked the creature which had been sitting the other side of her and shuffled over when she had been drawn into Loki's lap. The bond was not entirely natural. She was aware that from the moment she had put the crossbow contraption on her wrist something had happened forcing a link between her and Smurf. She had never tried to explain it or talked about it with anyone else but it was there. That chime in her head, soft, sweet musical sounds in her mind that told her Smurf was there and what he was feeling.

Loki was silent for a long moment, observing her and the creature which seemed to have taken a silent support of the cause not for itself but for the one who cared about it. It had that strange knowledgeable presence it had when it spent time with Heimdall. As if it too saw more than meets the eye.

"Yes. Especially with you. You seem to have a knack for absurd danger Miss Lewis." He responded being honest with the matter. She seemed defeated and almost resigned to arguing with everyone that she was capable until he continued. "But I also know you are stubborn and that even if you have to slip away in the dead of night, you will find a way to do this yourself. And even if you have use every last ounce of energy, you will protect Smurf and everyone else you care about. I am willing to aid you and support you so you don't do this alone. Because you don't seem to care that I don't want you to die." He concluded with sincerity in his voice and love, so much so that Darcy was overwhelmed. "You are my sanity Darcy Lewis, as concerning as that is. Without your efforts I'd probably be fighting my brother and shouting "kneel" at every human I came across. Instead I am here, with you, helping people and feeling…Asgardian." He added after a moment not knowing what word to put with the pride he felt in being the "good guy". His madness was mostly born from believing himself a monster so to not have his insanity controlling him made him feel like the person he had always thought he was. Odin's son, Thor's brother, a noble Asgardian.

"Stop it. You're giving me a mushy feeling in my chest." Darcy commented with a blush and a smile that suggested he could keep going all day. She kissed him, lightly this time before resting her head on his chest again and wriggling closer to him. He held her tighter with a fond laugh, content to just sit with her until they would have to move.

"I love you my dear. I'm afraid I can't." he told her with honesty and adoration in his youthful voice. It was funny in a way to look over the time they'd spent together and for this, of all things to be the outcome. But he didn't think it was a bad thing.

"I love you too, my god of mischief." She whispered after a moment. A lot had happened since they had met and a lot was yet to happen. But right now they were at peace in each other's presence and they could freely enjoy the time they had for tomorrow would bring the start of a new day and of the many dangers to face. Hopefully when it was concluded all would be well again. Darcy desperately wished that whatever story she had stumbled into when she took up that internship with Jane Foster, that it had a happy ending.

((A/N: Fluff. Fluff everywhere. Short epilogue is short. Another one down. Hope you all enjoyed. One more to go and then I finish with the trio ficlets. Maybe. If I ever get inspired to, I might write drabbles. Not sure. I hope I haven't strayed too far from the characters while also giving them proper development. I hope you all look forward to the next one. Just an FYI: Things in these series that are mentioned in passing or hinted at like Selvig's trip away, S.H.I.E.L.D trying to learn more about Asgard, Sumati's obvious remained presence etc. I'm leaving these as set up for possible other fics. If anyone is interested questions and encouragement does motivate me to start something. Presently however I have no actual plans for them. Just leaving myself some leeway. But I still have to finish the third fic for you all. Thank you everyone again and once more: constructive criticism is cherished.))


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